Main points from the Operation Conifer report:

In the case of seven individual disclosures, if Sir Edward Heath had been alive he would have been interviewed under caution in order to obtain his account in relation to the allegations made against him.

The disclosures where Heath would have been interviewed under caution to gain an account are:

1961: Heath allegedly raped and indecently assaulted an 11-year-old boy during a paid sexual encounter in a private dwelling. London.

1962: Heath in the company of an unknown male allegedly indecently assaulted a 10-year-old boy during a chance encounter in a public place. Kent.

1967: Heath allegedly indecently assaulted a 15-year-old male not known to him in private during a chance encounter in a public building. Guernsey.

1976: Heath allegedly indecently assaulted over clothing an adult male during a chance encounter at a public event. Jersey.

c1992: Heath allegedly indecently assaulted an adult male after consent was withdrawn in what had been a paid consensual sexual encounter in a hotel. Wiltshire.

Between 1990 and 1992: Heath allegedly indecently assaulted a boy aged between 12 and 14 not known to him during a chance encounter in private gardens. Wiltshire. The report said he would have been interviewed under caution over this allegation, BUT there is undermining evidence.

In the case of 19 individual disclosures it has been concluded that there is undermining information available such that the threshold to interview under caution would not be met.

The report adds:

Where it is concluded that if he had still been alive Heath would have been interviewed under caution to gain an account, it is emphasised that his account would be as important as other evidence gathered as part of the wider investigation. Accordingly it is critical to stress that no inference of guilt should be drawn from the fact that Heath would have been interviewed under caution.

It says:

It is clearly inappropriate to speculate what Heath’s response would have been in relation to the allegations put to him under caution in an interview. His account would have informed the next stages of the investigation strategy and investigators would have looked to check and test his account against the other available evidence.

In the case of a living suspect, at the conclusion of the police investigation the senior investigating officer would consider all available evidence and make a decision as to whether submit a file to the Crown Prosecution Service. If relevant, the CPS would consider whether there was sufficient evidence to bring criminal charges.

The report also reveals that:

During Operation Conifer, three people were arrested in relation to offences concerning alleged non-recent child abuse. Two were later released without charge and the third remains under police investigation. The allegations were not directly related to Heath.

Wiltshire police have made three referrals to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). Each relates to alleged non-recent failings in the way Wiltshire police dealt with information raising potential concerns about Heath. No evidence was found to substantiate the concerns raised.

Cost:

24 people worked on Operation Conifer in total. No more than 20 worked on it at any one time. The total cost of the two-year operation is £1.4m.

Some numbers:

1,580 investigative lines of inquiry were generated.

1,062 officers’ reports were generated as a result of investigative activity.

284 statements were taken or reviewed.

Three people unconnected to Heath were arrested for offences related to child abuse.